Benthochromis sp. ?

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Benthochromis sp. ?

Postby Adrian Indermaur » Thu Aug 18, 2011 6:49 pm

Hy,

this is about a few specimens of Benthochromis that I found on Mpulungu fish market this summer.
I`m asking myself if these are female B. hori or even an other species of Benthochromis since I have never seen these black and white stripes before.

What do you think?


Thanks
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Re: Benthochromis sp. ?

Postby Mark Smith » Thu Aug 18, 2011 8:33 pm

Hi Adrian, this is the true Benthochromis tricoti.
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Re: Benthochromis sp. ?

Postby Juan Artigas » Tue Aug 23, 2011 11:07 am

Mark,

I am not a specialist. Would you tell me how this fish would be different from Bentochromis tricoti non-breeding males?

Please advise
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Re: Benthochromis sp. ?

Postby Mark Smith » Tue Aug 23, 2011 1:42 pm

I would assume, that just as in Benthochromis horii and B. melanoides, that female B. tricoti are plain silvery all over and without any vertical barring. Also, please remember that the Benthochromis in the hobby corresponds to B. horii and is not B. tricoti. Adrian's photos depict the true B. tricoti.
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Re: Benthochromis sp. ?

Postby Mark Smith » Tue Aug 23, 2011 1:43 pm

Sorry - meant horizontal barring, not vertical barring.
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Re: Benthochromis sp. ?

Postby Juan Artigas » Tue Aug 23, 2011 2:27 pm

Thanks Mark, could not be that the fish depicted are young males of Bentochromis tricoti captured in deep areas? Apparently young males stay at deeper layers where they feed, to raise later to less deep layers to breed, when they show a more elongated shape and longer fins. Could this possibly be the case?
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Re: Benthochromis sp. ?

Postby Mark Smith » Tue Aug 23, 2011 2:56 pm

Not likely, as their phyiscal form and coloration is quite unique. Also, Takahashi indicated in his paper, Description of a new cichlid fish species of the genus Benthochromis (Perciformes: Cichlidae) from Lake Tanganyika, that all three species live sympatrically offshore from Mutondwe Island, Zambia.
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